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Home » Salads » Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

May 19, 2020 , Updated January 15, 2021 Maria 15 Comments

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A white bowl with a generous portion of chickpea salad.

This Mediterranean Chickpea Salad has fiber-rich chickpeas, crunchy cucumbers, briny feta, and garden-fresh tomatoes, all tossed together with generous amounts of herbs and a balsamic vinaigrette.

This simple bean salad recipe is not only great for potlucks and packed lunches, but it also makes a deliciously simple side dish or a light dinner idea.

A white bowl with a generous portion of chickpea salad.

If your family is like mine, I am sure they will appreciate this tasty cold bean salad.  

Just like this Italian Salad, or this Strawberry Arugula Salad, it makes the perfect side dish with grilled chicken, shrimp, or fish! 

This easy salad recipe is also great for potlucks and packed lunches.

Chickpea salad in a white dish garnished with fresh parsley.

What makes this Mediterranean salad so awesome? 

One – it comes together super easily! No oven required at all. You just need to collect, cut up, and combine your ingredients, a process that shouldn’t take longer than approximately 15 minutes. Pop it in the fridge for a few hours to let the flavors marinate together, and voilà! 

Two – it is versatile! You can swap out pretty much any ingredient in it with whatever you have on hand (keep reading for substitutions and add-in suggestions). 

Three – it is healthy! Chickpeas are really low in cholesterol and saturated fat and are also a good source of dietary fiber and folate. Just watch out for the sodium levels of canned chickpeas – give them a good rinse before adding them to keep sodium levels as low as possible. [source]

Four – leftovers make great lunches! Who doesn’t like the convenience of leftovers? 

So, have I convinced you yet?

Great!

Let’s make it!

Mise en place

There are basically two preparations for this salad -whisking and chopping.

The ingredients to make the vinaigrette in bowls.

Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 clove of garlic (minced) and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Set aside. 

Alternatively, place these ingredients for the dressing in a Mason jar, cover and shake.

Fresh herbs next to a bowl of chickpeas.

Prep the herbs and the cucumber:  Chop about 2 tablespoons of fresh basil, 2 tablespoons of Italian flat-leaf parsley, 2 tablespoons of fresh chives, and 2 teaspoons of fresh oregano. You also need approximately 2 cups of chopped cucumber. 

Prep the chickpeas: Drain and rinse. Place in a large mixing bowl.

Instructions

In the large mixing bowl with the chickpeas, add the 2 cups of chopped cucumber, 200 grams of feta (about 1 cup) diced or crumbled, the chopped herbs and the vinaigrette. 

The salad ingredients in a large bowl.

Toss gently together to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, up to overnight for the flavors to marinate together.

Chopped tomatoes are added to the salad.

Add 1 chopped large tomato, toss together and serve. 

A close up of chickpeas, chopped cucumbers and tomatoes tossed together.

Substitutions and optional add-ins

  • Replace the chickpeas with cannellini, black, red kidney, or even mixed beans.  
  • A handful of Mediterranean olives, artichokes or capers is a great flavor booster.
  • Adding avocado is one way to increase your daily intake of fiber. [source]
  • Add canned tuna or hard-boiled eggs to make it a more complete meal.
  • Balsamic vinegar can be replaced with red wine vinegar. 
  • The addition of roasted bell peppers provides a hint of sweetness. Or if you prefer the crunch, leave them raw.
  • If you can’t find English cucumbers, replace it with a regular cucumber. As an option, remove the skin and the seeds as they tend to be slightly more bitter.
  • If you like the pungency of onions, feel free to add a small handful of finely chopped shallots or spring onions.
  • Feel free to switch out the fresh herbs to whatever you might have on hand. 
  • Replace the Feta for goat cheese or perhaps Parmesan shavings.
  • Add roasted nuts or seeds, or perhaps even some sprouts!

As you can see, the sky’s the limit for this easy summer meal. 

Tips

  • If possible, purchase a block of feta packed in brine rather than already crumbled.
  • Taste and adjust for flavors. 
  • It can be made ahead up to 24 hours. Let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
  • Add the tomatoes just prior to serving. This prevents them from becoming mealy. 
  • Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days. 

If you like healthy salad recipes, you must try this Pear Arugula Salad with toasted walnuts or this Sweet Corn Salad. Your family and friends are going to love them. 

Recipe source

Back to my East End Montreal upbringing for this recipe! This Italian chickpea salad was one of my favorite summer dinner recipes. 

I can still see my paternal grandmother preparing this salad. She would remove the skin from each. individual. chickpea. Talk about dedication. 

Of course, this step is entirely unnecessary, but my nonna insisted that if she left the skin, it would get caught in her teeth. A slight exaggeration, but I loved her dearly.

My nonna would tell us that chickpeas were healthy for us. 

As is usually the case with Italian nonnas, she was right. 

It is a great food for your heart, and its delicious-ness levels make it great for your soul, too 😉

Enjoy!

THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

And if you are new here, welcome! You may want to sign up for my weekly e-mail newsletter. You can unsubscribe any time you want.

Ciao for now,

Maria

★★★★★ If you have made this Mediterranean salad, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

An overhead shot of a chickpea salad in a white round plate.

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

This Mediterranean Chickpea Salad has fiber-rich chickpeas, crunchy cucumbers, briny feta, and garden-fresh tomatoes, all tossed together with generous amounts of herbs and a balsamic vinaigrette.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 145kcal
Author: Maria Vannelli RD

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 1 clove garlic pressed or finely minced
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoons basil fresh, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons parsley Italian flat-leaf, fresh, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chives fresh, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons oregano fresh, chopped
  • 2 cups English cucumber chopped (about 1/2)
  • 1 cup feta cheese crumbled or cubed
  • 1 18 ounce/796 mL can chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • 1 large tomato chopped
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Instructions

  • In a small mixing bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and pepper. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients except for the tomatoes.
  • Add the vinaigrette and toss gently to combine.
  • Taste and adjust seasonings.
  • Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, up to overnight for the flavors to marinate.
  • Add 1 chopped large tomato, toss together and serve. 
Scroll UP for the STEP by STEP PhotosDon't miss the process shots and videos included in most posts. Simply scroll up the post to find them. Those were created especially for you so that you can make the recipe perfectly every single time you try it.

Notes

  • If possible, purchase a block of feta packed in brine rather than already crumbled.
  • Taste and adjust for flavors. 
  • It can be made ahead up to 24 hours. Let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
  • Add the tomatoes just prior to serving. This prevents them from becoming mealy. 
  • Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days. 

Substitutions and optional add-ins

  • Replace the chickpeas with cannellini, black, red kidney, or even mixed beans.  
  • A handful of Mediterranean olives, artichokes or capers is a great flavor booster.
  • Adding avocado is one way to increase your daily intake of fiber. [source]
  • Add canned tuna or hard-boiled eggs to make it a more complete meal.
  • Balsamic vinegar can be replaced with red wine vinegar. 
  • The addition of roasted bell peppers provides a hint of sweetness. Or if you prefer the crunch, leave them raw.
  • If you can't find English cucumbers, replace it with a regular cucumber. As an option, remove the skin and the seeds as they tend to be slightly more bitter.
  • If you like the pungency of onions, feel free to add a small handful of finely chopped shallots or spring onions.
  • Feel free to switch out the fresh herbs to whatever you might have on hand. 
  • Replace the Feta for goat cheese or perhaps Parmesan shavings.
  • Add roasted nuts or seeds, or perhaps even some sprouts!
 
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 145kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 283mg | Potassium: 136mg | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 515IU | Vitamin C: 7.3mg | Calcium: 143mg | Iron: 0.7mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @shelovesbiscotti or tag #shelovesbiscotti!

This post was originally published on May 29, 2016, and republished on May 19, 2020, with updated content and photos. Thanks for sharing.

 

 

 

 

Salads, Side-Dish and Vegetables

About Maria

Maria Vannelli is a registered dietitian who lives in a suburb just outside Montreal, Canada. She's the founder of the food blog She Loves Biscotti. Maria hopes to inspire you and bring you and your loved ones closer together at meal times enabling you to create some memorable moments.

Comments

  1. jacquee | i sugar coat it says

    June 12, 2016 at 21:06

    5 stars
    This is one of my favourite salads! They serve it as a side at a middle eastern place near my office and we make a similar version at home with lots of coriander.

    Reply
    • Maria says

      June 13, 2016 at 07:03

      Sounds like it would be great with coriander! Appreciate your comment 🙂

      Reply
  2. Mackenzie Ryan says

    June 12, 2016 at 18:17

    I love your tip about switching out ingredients for others. Not only does this recipe sound delicious, but it sounds very accessible for all palates as well!

    Reply
    • Maria says

      June 13, 2016 at 07:02

      It truly is easy to adapt this salad to one’s own preferences. Thanks for dropping by Mackenzie 🙂

      Reply
  3. Annemarie @ justalittlebitofbacon says

    June 12, 2016 at 17:00

    5 stars
    We adore all the ingredients in this salad so I know I could make this regularly and everyone would be happy. Thanks for sharing the recipe!

    Reply
    • Maria says

      June 12, 2016 at 17:46

      My pleasure! Thanks for taking the time to comment 🙂

      Reply
  4. Wendy, A Day in the Life on the Farm says

    May 30, 2016 at 14:33

    I think Grandmas did things like that so that they could sit for a moment. Grandmas are always so hard working and a lot of it was back breaking work so any excuse to sit and relax for a moment, even if it is to peel chickpeas, was a wonderful break. Great recipe and memories. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Maria says

      May 30, 2016 at 15:57

      Hi Wendy, it truly was a privilege living with my grandparents -hearing about all their stories, and being part of everything associated with “growing up Italian”… from making sausages and cheese, to having a small vegetable garden in an urban setting. I really do have some wonderful memories! Appreciate you dropping by 🙂

      Reply
  5. Kristin @ Dizzy Busy and Hungry says

    May 29, 2016 at 20:30

    We are a chickpea-lovin’ family. This would be a perfect salad for us! It looks delicious!

    Reply
    • Maria says

      May 29, 2016 at 20:57

      Thanks Kristin! Appreciate you dropping by 🙂

      Reply
  6. Denise Wright says

    May 29, 2016 at 19:53

    Go grandma! Such dedication with her chickpeas. This is right up my alley. Looks like the perfect summer salad!

    Reply
    • Maria says

      May 29, 2016 at 21:06

      Can’t go wrong with chickpeas… Thanks for dropping by Denise 🙂

      Reply
  7. Liz says

    May 29, 2016 at 17:00

    What a fresh flavored wonderful salad!

    Reply
    • Maria says

      May 29, 2016 at 20:55

      Thanks Liz 🙂 Appreciate you dropping by.

      Reply
  8. Carlee says

    May 29, 2016 at 16:28

    I am usually not much for bean salads, but yours looks delicious! I happen to have a ton of chickpeas in the pantry too. I’ll have to make this too (the maple baked beans are in the oven now, I can’t wait to see how they turn out!!!)

    Reply

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Hello and Welcome to She Loves Biscotti!
I'm Maria: dietitian and full time content creator. Join me as I share traditional Italian recipes from my youth, to modern twists on classics using fresh and seasonal ingredients.

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